reynolds



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet. 1. J. R. REYNOLDS 815A. I. JACOBS BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Sept noo enouauonuuuno (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. R. REYNOLDS & A. I. JACOBS. BOOK SEWING MAUHINE.

No. 435,613. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. R. REYNOLDS & A. I. JACOBS.

' BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

No. 435.613. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. R. REYNOLDS 8a A. I. JACOBS.

BOOK SEWING MAOHINE.

Patented Sept 1m: mums rz'rens co.. mam-umm. msummou, u. c. I

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. R. REYNOLDS & A. I. JACOBS.

BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

No. 435,613. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

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* UNITED (STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. REYNOLDS AND ARTHUR I. JACOBS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE SMYTH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

G MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,613, dated September 2, 1890. Application filed April 14, 1890. Serial No. 347,739. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN R. REYNOLDS and ARTHUR I. J ACOBS, both residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Book-Sewing Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

Machines have heretofore been made for sewing books in which the folded sheet or signature is laid upon an arm or bar and presented to the sewing mechanism; but such sheets vary in size according to the size of the book to be produced, and, in addition to this, difierent characters of books of the same size require different kinds of sewing, and difiiculty has heretofore been experienced in introducing the sewing at the desired point in the back of the book.

One of the principal features of the present invention relates to grouping the sewing devices and mounting the same upon adjustable supports, so that they can be placed at any desired point along the back of the signature, and the groups of sewing devices can be associated at any distances apart, so that the sewing may be more or less closely together, according to the character of book that is being sewed, and these sewing devices can be placed at the proper distance from the top and bottom of the signature.

In carrying out our invention we group together a semicircular needle and the devices for supporting and moving the same, a loopt-ightening mechanism, and presser plate, which come above the signature and sheetholding mechanism, and we group together the perforator and the hook-pointed needles that act within the fold of the signature, the perforators forming the holes through which the circular needle passes and the hookpointed needles drawing down the loops of thread through which the circular needle passes, and these groups of instrumentalities are so supported that they can be moved or adjusted to any desired points and the one is easily brought into the proper position to the other and the actuating devices for the respective groups of instrumentalities do not have to be changed. Hence the machine can be adjusted by the party using the same so as to bring the sewing to whatever place or places may be desired upon the folded signature, and we group together the spools and tension devices so that they can be brought into proper position in relation to the groups of sewing devices as required from time to time. a

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general front elevation representing two groups of sewing devices, it being understood that the number of these can be increased at pleasure, the machine itself being adapted to the reception of the largest-sized sheets for ordinary books. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a portion of the machine. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the machine at about the line a; a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached View, in larger size, of the circular needle and the devices acting therewith. Fig. 5 is a section at the line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a section at the line .2 z of Fig. 4:. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan of the block and needle carrier. Fig. 8 is an elevation and edge View of the loop-tightening device detached. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are side and edge views of the gills, the hookpointed needles, and the perforators, respectively. Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of the spool-carrier and tension device. Fig. 13 is an elevation of the tension device. Fig. 14 is a plan view of the presser-bar and vibrating eye. Fig. 15 represents the end of the looper-shaft and connections. Fig. 16 is an elevation, and Fig. 17 a plan, of the looper. Fig.18 is a section at the line g Fig. 3. Fig. 19 shows the needle-bar and looper-cams. Fig. 20 is a sectional plan at the line 3 Fig. 4. Figs. 21 and 22 are diagrams illustrating the sewing.

The main frame of the machine is of any suitable size and shape.

We have represented the side frames A and top frames A as connected together by the transverse bars A A and the transverse bar A forms a support for the needle-blocks hereinafter described, and the transverse bar A 9 5 connects the top frames A together and also forms a support for the spool-holders and tension devices.

In the machine as represented we make use of two threads in each group of sewing de- 100 vices, one thread passing into a circular eyepointed needle and the other being laid into the hook of the hook-pointed needles.

We have represented the spools L L upon the spool-holder L which rests upon the bar A and below this bar A is a frame M, secured to the bar A and to the spool-holder L by a nut 10 on a screw passing up through a slot in the bar A into the base of the spoolholder L and forming the stud for one of the spools. The holder L and frame M can be adjusted transversely of the machine by loosening the nut 10 and moving the parts along the slotted bar A to bring the spools into proper position for the group of sewing devices. The frame M extends forward toward the operator in the form of two arms, between the ends of which is a rod with a coiled spring 11, having an arm 12 with an eye at the end, through which the thread from the spool L passes, and this thread is laid over or against the horizontal thread-bars N N, that extend from one top frame A to the other, and the eye at the end of the arm 12 passes in between these bars, and the spring 11 tends to throw the arm backwardly and equalize the action of the take-up by drawing a loop between the said bars N N, and this thread extends down to the take-up mechanism and to the circular needle, as hereinafter mentioned. The thread from the spool L goes over and against the bars 0 O, that also extend from one top frame A to the other, and this thread extends down to the vibrating eye, hereinafter described, that lays such thread against the hook-pointed needle, and there is a bar 0 parallel with the bars 0 0, upon which is a coiled spring 14, having an arm 15, with an eye at the end of it, passing up between the bars 0 O and forming a spring-tension to equalize the action of the take-up upon said thread. The coil 14 and arm 15 can be moved along upon the bar 0 and held in position by a clamp-screw after it has been adjusted.

The bar A between the frames A is adapted to receive and hold the reel-frames P. Each of these frames is made with a lip catching over the top of the bar A and held bya clampscrew 85, and the reel P is adapted to receive a tape or strip of parchment 86 or a large cord, and the same is sewed to the back of the book, as hereinafter described, and the strip 86 from this reel passes down over the cross-, piece P of the reel frame, and there is a spring P, that presses upon the tape or strip to give sufficient friction to keep the strip or tape under the proper tension. All of these parts being movable transversely of the machine can be set to the proper position according to the places where the sewing is to be performed on the signatures.

Upon the main frame of the machine is a shaft B, to which power is to be applied in any convenient manner, and the main shaft 0 is geared therewith by the pinion 2 and gear 3, and there is a secondary'shaft D running transversely of the machine and geared to the main shaft 0 by beve1-wheels 4 5, and upon the main and secondary shaft are suitable cams for giving to the respective parts the movementshereinafter described.

Upon the inner opposite faces of the main frame of the machine are fastened the curved guide-slides D for the ends of the sheet-holding bar H, there being pins or rollers at the ends of the sheet-holding bar passing into these curved guide-slides, and the shape of these curved guide-slides is such that as the sheet-holding bar is carried up the upper edge thereof is brought to the proper place for presenting the sheet or signature while being sewed, and these guide-slides curve downwardly and outwardly, so that as the sheet holder bar descends it comes toward the operator and occupies a position convenient for the folded sheet or signature to be placed over such bar.

Rigidly fastened to the ends of the sheetholding bar H are hanging rods G, forming with the sheet-holder a three-sided frame, and to the lower ends of these frames G levers F are hinged, and such levers F have their back ends permanently connected to the rock-shaft 6, and there are cams E acting upon rollers 7 upon the leversF to raise and lower the outer ends of such levers and the sheet-holder bar H connected therewith, and these cams E are made of' a peculiar shape, hereinafter described, to give the required movements of the sheet-holder bar.

At the back of the sheet-holder bar is a needle-bar I, having at its ends rods G, forming with such needle-bar a frame, the lower ends of which are hinged to the levers F, which have their pivot-eyes around the shaft 6, but loose thereon, and these levers F come at the opposite sides of the cams to the levers F, and they are acted upon by cam-grooves E, in which are rollers 8 upon the levers F,

and it will now be apparent that the levers F F moving upon the same fulcrum and being of the same length, or nearly so, thesheetholder and needle-bar can be moved up and down bodily in the curved guide-slides D, and according to the shape of the cam-grooves E E and the needle-bar I can be moved vertically more or less in its relation to the sheetholder bar, and in so doing the movements hereinafter described are given to the perforators and to the hook-pointed needles made use of in sewing. There are two of the cams E E, and the grooved faces of E which are alike are toward each other and act on the needle-bar, and the grooved faces of E are on the outer faces of the cams, and act on the sheet-holder bar, and these grooves of the cams E are the same as the grooves of E, except in the slight differences indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 3.

The transverse bar A is grooved at the back, and beneath this bar is a needle-block Q, that is channeled in its top side and provided with a gib 18, sliding in the groove in the back of the bar A and in the face of this transverse bar A there are to be cavities at the proper distances apart for the reception of the pointed end of the screw 20, so that after the screw has been loosened the needle-block and the parts carried by it can be moved to the desired position for performing the sewing, and by screwing the screw 20 back into one of the conical cavities provided for it in the front of the bar A the needleblock will be brought accurately into position to act in conjunction with the perforators and hook-pointed needles carried by'the sheet-holder bar, and we remark that the holes for the screw 20 should be at suitable distances apart-say every half inchand the distances apart correspond with the holes in the sheet-holder bar, hereinafter described, so that the parts on the sheet-holder bar are also easily placed and held accurately in position in relation to the parts on the needleblock.

Passing through the needle-block is a horizontal shaft R, having at the back end a pinion R by which such shaft receives a reciprocating motion first in one direction and then in the other from a rack-bar R, that is above such pinion and between the same and the gib 18, and this rack-bar R receives a motion at the proper time by a lever B and cam R At the front end of the needle-shaft R is a semicircular needle S, held upon the shaft by a clamp-screw, and this needle is of a character similar to those that have heretofore been used in book-sewing, and it has an eye near the point for the reception of the thread that passes over the bars N N, before described, and such thread before it passes to the eye of the semicircular needle passes against the stationary thread-bars S S and around a take-up bar S and at the ends of this bar S are arms S upon a shaft S supported in the frames A and receiving motion at the proper time from a suitable groove in the face of the cam 'l on the shaft D, acting through a lever T link T, and crank-arm T on the rock-shaft S.

Adjacent to and parallel with the rock-shaft S is a rock-shaft U, upon which are arms U and a take-up bar U for the thread which passes from the bars 0 0 over the bars U U and around the takeup bar U to the vibrating eye, hereinafter named, and this rocksh aft U receives motion from a second groove in the cam T, that acts on the lever U link U and crank-arm U to actuate the take-up at the proper time.

For convenience in construction the crankarm T is slotted segmentally, as seen in Fig. 3, the object of which is simply to allow the end of the rock-shaft U to pass by sufficiently far to receive the crank-arm U.

Upon the under side of the needle-block Q are the sheet-holder plates 24: 25, which have openings for the passage of the circular needle, and the openings are also sufficiently large for the perforators that make the holes in the signatures for the eye-pointed needle to pass through, and these sheet-holder plates form a resistance to hold down the folded back edges of the signature as the perforators are raised, and there is in addition a stationary finger 26, fastened to the under side of the needle-block and between the sheet-holder plates 2* and 25, and the tape or strip from the reel P passes beneath this stationary finger and above the folded back edges of the signatures, and this stationary finger 26 forms a resistance or support to the fold of the signature as the hook pointed needles are forced upwardly through such signature from within the same, as hereinafter described, and the outer end of this stationary finger 26 is beveled upwardly, so that it does not catch the thread that is supplied by a vibrating eye, and is laced across the tape or strip, and which thread as it is laced passes in beneath this stationary finger 26 and between the same and the tape or strip.

The vibrating eye V is upon a rod V, and it is clamped thereto by a set-screw. This vibrating eye and the rod V, to which it is attach ed, are preferably made in the form represented in the detached views, Figs. 5 and 14, and at the end of the rod V, is a connection V to a lever V that receives the necessary motion at the proper time from a grooved cam V upon the shaft 0. It is to be understood that there are as many vibrating eyes V as there are needle-blocks Q, in order that when the needle-blocks have been put in their proper positions the vibrating eyes may also be set to correspond with the groups of sewing devices. Each vibrating eye is "preferably made of sheet metal with an eye at each end. The eye which is nearest to the operator simply serves as a guide to keep the thread from becoming entangled with the other parts of the machine, and the attachment for the vibrating eye is near the center of the sheet-metal plate, where there is a small block 28 in an undercut or dovetailed groove in the rod V, there being steady-pins on this block 28, passing through holes in the plate of the vibrating eye, and there is a clamp-screw 29, passing down through the plate of the vibrating eye into the block 28, and this block 28 does not come quite up flush with the surface of the rod V, so that when the screw 29 is turned down the block 28 forms a nut to the screw 29, and the plate of the vibrating eye is clamped firmly to the surface of the rod V after it has been put in the proper position.

\Ve find it advantageous to introduce the rod V in a longitudinal groove in the presserbar \V, which bar has at its ends racks 30, extending backwardly and acted upon by the pinions 31 on a transverse shaft V, to which a partial rotation is given at the proper time bya connection V that is moved by a camgroove in the face of cam T, Fig. 1, so that the presser-bar is carried bodily back against the folded edge of the signature after the same has been sewed and the sheet-holder has IIC descended so as to press that signature and those that have before been sewed sufficiently far back for the introduction of another signature upon the sheet-holding bar, and it will be observed that the vibrating eye V projects beyond and behind the edge of the presserbar W, Fig. 14, so that the thread that is carried by this vibrating eye is sufficiently far back for the hook-pointed needles to pass in front of this thread in performing the sewing, and then the thread is laid around the hook as the presser-bar is moved farther forward away from the sheet that has been raised up into position and is being sewed, and then an end motion is given to the rod V to move the vibrating eye V from one position to the other at the time the presser-bar WV is entirely drawn back from the signature.

The face of each needle-block is grooved with an undercut groove at a slight inclination from a vertical line, and in this groove is a sliding block 35, and attached to this sliding block is the sheet-steadying finger 36, that is slotted or made of two plates to receive within it a loop-tightener 37. This loop-tightencr is pivoted within the finger 36, so that the hook end of the loop-tightener may be received within the finger or project therefrom, and there is a spring-tail to the looptightener extending upwardly at the sideof the steadying-finger 36 and having a beveled upper end, and there is a stud 38 upon the face of the needle-block Q, (see Figs. 4 and 6,) and the under surface of this stud is beveled. Hence as the block '35 is'drawn up the springtail of the loop-tightener is forced way from the block Q by the incline of the stud, and after the spring-tail is drawn up above the stud the tail springs back, and as the block 35 is slid downwardly the stud 38 acts against the inclined upper part of the spring-tail and draws the hook end of the loop-tightener back within the sheet-steadying finger 36, the object of this movement being to cast off the loop of thread that has been taken 7 byrthe loop-tightener hook after such loop has been subjected to the required tension to tighten up the stitch, and this allows the thread of the loop that is cast off to be drawn up in the further progress of the sewing; but when the sliding block 35 is forced downwardly to the extreme lowest point the hook of the loop-tigh'tener is projected below the sheet-holder plate 24 by the inclined back part of the looptightener hook touching against such sheet-holder plate 24, and it will be apparent that as the circular needle rises its eye draws the thread up through the opening in the sheet-holder plate 24, and at this time the signature that has been sewed is pressed backwardly as far, or nearly so, as the back edge of the opening in the sheetholder plate 24, and in consequence of the circular needle being in front of the steadying-finger 36 as this steadying-finger 36 goes down it passes in front of the top edge of the folded signature that has been sewed, (see Fig. 5,) and the thread between the sewed signature and the eye of the needle draws across the edge of the steadying-finger 36, and the loop-tightener hook 37 is at that moment projected beneath this thread, so as to catch the same, and at the proper time after another signature has been added in front of the sheet-steadying finger the said sheetsteadying finger is drawn up and the hook of the loop-tightener draws up the loop of thread to tighten the stitch to the required extent, and as the block 35 is carried down again the stud 38 retracts the loop-tightener hook 37, so that the thread of such loop is tightened up in sewing the next signature, such loop slipped freely ofi the lower end of the finger 36; but this finger 36 is not projected downwardly until after the signature has been sewed and such signature has been moved back by the presser-bar, as before described.

It is now necessary to describe the means for giving to the slide-block 35 the necessary vertical movement. This is accomplished by a lifter-plate 40, that is grooved near its lower edge, and the back of the sliding block 35 is also grooved so that the rib on the lower front edge of the plate 40 passes into such groove and the projection on the block 35 passes into the groove in the lifter-plate 40. This allows for giving to the block 35 whatever movement is imparted to the lifter-plate 40; but at the same time the needle-block and parts carried by it may be adjusted laterally to the desired position, the projection of the block 35 sliding in the groove in the lifterplate. The ends of the lifter-plate 40 are beveled at the same inclination as the grooves for the slide-block 35, and there are end guides 141 for such lifter-plate, which end guides are secured upon the surface of the transverse bar A and in this lifter-plate 40 are diagonal slots 42, and there is in each slot a block connected by a screw or pin 41 to the reciprocating bar 43, which bar passes through the end frames, and there is a lever 44 to a cam 45 on the shaft C, which cam is grooved and of the proper shape to give to this bar 43 an endwise movement at the proper time to communicate to the block 35 and sheet-steadying fingers and the loop-tightener the up and down movements, before described, that are in harmony with the other portion of the machine for steadying the signature that has been sewed, and then drawing up the loop in that signature to tighten the stitch, and then to cast off the tightened loop so that the same may be taken up as the curved needle descends in sewing the next signature, and We remark that as the stitch is tightened by the hook 37 there is a lateral strain upon the circular needle near the point thereof. Hence to support that needle against the lateral strain we make use of a loop of sheet metal 46 upon the face of the needle-block, which loop the circular needle passes freely; but the loop sustains the needle under the lateral strain to which it is subjected from the thread.

Thehok-pointed needles O andthe perforators 51 are constructed somewhat similar to those represented in our application, Serial No. 291,4:41, filed October 21,1888-that is to say, the perforators 51 are adapted to pass through the fold of the signature from within outwardly at the places where the curved needle S enters and leaves the fold of the signatureand the hook-pointed needles are adapted to pass outwardly through the fold of the signature and to receive the thread or cord that is to be drawn into the signature for the needle S to pass through the loop of the thread held by such hook-pointed needle or needles. The means for supporting such perforators and hook-pointed needles differ from those in the said application in the particulars hereinafter mentioned, and in connection with such hook-pointed needles we have shown gills upon stocks 52, which serve to cast oif the loop from the hook at the proper point, in order that the hook may not retain the loop of thread when the sheetholding bar I is drawn down, and these gills are automatic in their action, as there is a certain amount of friction applied to the stock of each gill to hold the same while a limited movement is given to the hook-pointed needle; but our machine will work without making use of the gills, and the automatic gills combined with the hook-pointed needles are not our invention. Hence further description of the same is not necessary.

There are as many needle-plates K as there are needle'blocks Q, and each needle-plate is held to the sheet-holder bar H by screws 84, that pass into a block 54, sliding in an undercut or dovetailed groove in the back of the sheet-holder bar H, and in order to bring the needle-plate K into the proper position in its relation to the needle-block Q and the parts held by it when the groups of sewing devices are moved from one place to the other we perforate the sheet-holder bar H with a row of holes, the holes being at the same distances apart as the holes in the transverse bar A for the screw 20, and in the block 54: and in the-needle-plate K there is a central hole, so that in adjusting the parts a pin can be passed through one of the holes 55, and through the hole in the block 54 and the hole in the needle-plate K to bring these parts into correct position, and by tightening the screws 84, that connect the needle-plate K to the block 54, the parts will be clamped firmly against the back of the sheet-holder bar and occupy the correct position in relation to the other sewing devices. The top edge of the needle-plate is grooved downwardly as an arc of a circle to form a recess, through which the curved needle moves.

The shapes of the cam-grooves E E are indicated in Fig. 3, and it will be seen that the sheet-holder bar is drawn down when the rollers 7 and 8 are nearest to the shaft D and raised when the rollers are farthest from such shaft D, and the grooves E E correspond with each other, except in the portion indicated by dotted lines, and when the sheetholder bar is being raised to its highest position and held by the rollers '7 in the circular portion of the cam groove E the camgroove of E moves the needle-bar to elevate the same, and the perforators and hook-pointed needles to pass them through the sheet and then draws such needle-bar down to draw the hooks into the needle-plate with the thread on one hook, and then the needle-bar is slightly raised to liberate the loop, after which the needle-bar and sheet-holder move uniformly together in consequence of the cam-grooves E E coinciding.

There is a transverse shaft 59 running along through the top frames A, and in front of the needle-blocks Q and upon this shaft 59 there are collars or blocks 61, that can be moved along to the proper place, and through these blocks there are screws (52 passing into spaced cavities in the shaft 59 for holding the blocks in the positions to which they may be adjusted, and through each block 61 there is a nearly vertical hole for the round shank of the looper 60, and this looper is bent backwardly at an inclination toward the needleblock Q and then forwardly as a triangular point, and the block 61 is slotted adjacent to the hole for the shank of the looper and provided with a screw 63, so that after thelooper has been adjusted by raising or lowering its shank in the hole in the block 61 or swinging the hooked point of the looper either to the right or to the left in front of the needleblock the parts are firmly held by turning the screw 63. In the face of the needle-block there is a recess at 87, into which the looper may be swung, so that it comes behind the point of the circular needle after the latter has risen from the signature and passed through the loop that had been taken by the looper from the previously-sewed signature and held in a forward position and spread for the needle to pass up through such loop, and then the looper is moved along and backwardly by partially turning the shaft 59 to cast off the loop around the end of the circular needle, and then such looper is brought forward again to take a fresh loop of needle-thread from the circular needle as such circular needle is drawn backwardly in its movements.

The looper-shaft 59 may receive its movement by any suitable mechanismsuch, for instance, as that represented in Letters Patent No. 378,461, granted to John R. Reynolds. \Ve, however, prefer and have represented the lever 66 as acted upon by the cam 67 at the proper time to give motion to a sleeve 68, that is fitted to slide endwise upon the shaft 59, and in this sleeve 68 is a diagonal camslot acting upon a pin 70 in the looper-shaft 59, so that by the end movement given to the sleeve 68 the looper-shaft and looper will be given the required motion, and there is upon the shaft 59 an adjustable stop-collar 71, that comes into contact with the inner surface of one of the top frames A, and around the shaft 59 and within the sleeve 68 is an expansive helical spring 72, acting between a collar on such looper-shaft 59 and a collar 73 within the sleeve 68, and there is a stop-collar 75 at the end of the shaft 59 that is adjustable by a screw, against which the sleeve 68 comes in contact upon the backward movement. By this construction, when the looperlever 66 is moved in one direction it gives to the looper-shaft 59 a slight endwise movement by the resisting action of the spring 7 2, and this carries the loopers 60 along sufficiently for them to be swung backwardly without striking the points of the circular needles, and the further movement of the lever 66 and sleeve 68 compresses the spring 7 2,

and the diagonal cam-slot containing the pin 70 gives to the looper-shaft 59 and looper a partial turning movement, throwing the looper backwardly into the recess in the face of the needle-block, and atthis moment the lever 66 is moved in the other direction and the expansion of the spring 72 causes the 1ooper shaft to remain without any endwise movement, so that the diagonal slot in the sleeve acting upon the pin 70 may partially rotate the looper-bar and throw the loopers forward to take loops of threads in the eye-pointed needles, and the further movement of the lever 66 and sleeve 68 draws the shaft 59 endwise by the sleeve coming in contact with the stop-collar 75, and by the adjustment of this collar 75 the endwise movement given to the looper-shaft 59 can be regulated, so that the loopers will stop in the proper positions for the loops of thread as held by them to be in the proper position for the circular needles to pass up into such loops.

We make use of a table or support of any suitable character, as shown at 80, upon which the lower edges of the sewed signatures and books rest and are supported, and this table is adjustable vertically by the screws 88, so as to be adapted to different sizes of books, as usual in book-sewing machines. We also find it advantageous to make use of supporting plates or blades 81 and 82, attached upon the under side of the transverse bar 83 and the frame A. These plates are adjustable, so that they can be set up against the top and bottom edges of the sewed signatures near the folded backs of such signatures, and the edges of the plates coming toward each other and the signatures being between them such plates will support the signatures and hold them in position sufficiently for steadying them while the sewed signatures are being pressed backwardly from time to time and previous to their being separated into volumes and the sewing-threads cut and the tapes or cords drawn through sulficiently to give the necessary length for being connected to the covers of the books in the binding operation, and we remark that the tapes or cords from the reels P are to pass beneath the presser-bar W, "so'that the eyes V vibrate above the tapes or cords, and the threads passing through such vibrating eyes are laid above the tapes or cords and beneath the stationary finger 26.

We find it advantageous to provide six sets of sewing mechanism in afull-sized machine, so that for blank and account books of a large size the sewing can be done, as before described, in six places, and for smaller or lighter books the sewing can be done at three, four, or five places, or for very small books the sewing may be performed at only one or two places.

The operations of the respective parts in sewing are as follows: The attendant lays the folded signature over the sheet-holder bar H at the time the bar is in the depressed position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, there being a stop on the bar H, against which the head of the signature is arrested, and such sheet-holder bar is then carried up with the signature between the previously-sewed signatures and the back edge of the presser-bar W, said presser-bar W being drawn back sufficiently for the insertion of the signature that is to be sewed. As the sheet-holding bar is approaching its extreme upward movement, the needle-bar I is raised in its relation to the sheet-holder bar sufficient to project the hook-pointed needles 50 and the perforations 51 slightly above the top edge of the sheet-holder bar, and this insures the proper position of the folded signature to the perforators,because the points of the hook-pointed needles and perforators occupy the sharp angle inside the fold of the signature, and at this moment the top edge of the folded signature comes into contact with the under surface of the sheet-holder plates 24 and 25, and the perforators and hook-pointed needles are forced upwardly through the fold of the signature as such signature is held down by such sheetholder plates 24 and 25. As the hook-pointed needles move up to their highest elevation, the pressure-bar W is drawn back sufficiently for the vibrating eyes V to be drawn back behind the hook-pointed needles, and in so doing the thread from the vibrating eye leading to the previously-sewed signature is drawn against the hook of the hook-pointed needle by the rod V being moved endwise, and the vibrating eye is carried to its second position,

and during this movement the perforators and hook-pointed needles are drawn down into the signature and a loop of thread from the vibrating eye V is drawn into the signature, and during this movement the lifter-plate 40 is moved downwardly sufficient for the looptightener hook 37 to cast off the loop of thread that had been around it, and simultaneously with this movement the semicircular needle S commences its downward movement, passing into one of the perforations made by one of the perforators 51, and in so doing the loop of thread that was cast off the hook 37 is drawn up and the needle S passes into the signature and through the loop of thread drawn down by one of the hook-pointed needles 50, and

such circular needle passes out of the other perforation in the signature and through the loop of thread passing out of the previouslysewed signature and held by the looper ()0. At this moment the looper-shaft is moved slightly endwise, and the looper is swung backwardly in the recess 87 in the face of the needle-block, casting off its loop around the point of the circular needle, and the circular needle commences its backward movement, throwing out a loop of thread adjacent to its eye, and the looper 60 instantly is moved for ward again, taking such loop from the circular needle and holding the same forward of the signature, and the circular needle draws back it leaves its loop of thread within the signature and also within the loop of thread drawn down by the hook-pointed needle. At this moment the hook-pointed needle rises sufficiently to relieve the strain or hold of the hook upon the loop of thread, and where a gill is made use of to close the hook of the hook-pointed needle this gill operates at this time, so that the rock-shaft U and take-up bar U act to draw up and tighten the loop of thread above the hook-pointed needle, and the further backward movement of the circular needle brings the eye of the same out of the signature, and the presserbar is brought up against the sewed signa ture to force the same and the previouslysewed signatures backwardly beneath the sheet-holding plates 24 and 25 and needleblock Q, and to the rear of the line of the sheet-steadying fingers 36, and these sheetsteadying fingers are now brought down in front of the sewed signature to prevent the same coming forward again by the expansion of the folded sheets as the presser-bar XV is drawn back to give room for the insertion of another signature, and during these movements the sheet-holder bar H has been brought down out of the sewed signature and another folded sheet or signature has been laid thereon ready to be carried up. During the upward movement of the circular needle S and the backward movement of the sewed signature as it is pressed back by the presser-bar the thread from the sewed signature to the eye of the circular needle has drawn up behind the finger 36, and as the finger 36 has been carried down in front of the edge of the sewed signature the loop-tightener hook 37 has been projected by the rear of that hook coming in contact with the edge of the sheet-holder plate 24 at the opening therein, and the thread before mentioned is above this loop-tightener hook. Hence as the next signature is brought up to place between the presser-bar XV and the previously sewed signature the slideblock 35, finger 36, and loop-tightener hook 37 are drawn up. The thread from the circular needle is drawn upon by the loop-tightener hook, which in this way applies the necessary tension to the longitudinal thread in the previously-sewed signatures to take,up any slack in the thread and to apply the necessary tension upon the sewing, and then the operationsbefore described are repeated, wit-h the exception that the vibrating eye V has carried the thread that passes through it from one side of the tape, strip, or cord leading from the reel P to the other side of such tape, strip, or cord, and the hooks of the eye-pointed needles 50 stand outwardly, the backs coming toward each other, in order that the vibrating eye V may lay its thread in one hook in sewing one signature and in the other hook in sewing the next signature, thereby lacing the thread from the spool L across the said tape, strip, or cord. The take-up bar S", around which the thread passes between the spool L and the eye of the semicircular needle, is brought into action as the semicircular needle is passed down into the signature to be sewed, so as to give up the thread that is needed as such needle is projected through the signature, and the reverse movement is given to such take-up bar S as the needle draws back, in order to tighten up the sewing and draw sufficient thread off the spool for the next stitch taken by the semicircular needle.

It is to be understood that in cases where cords are made use of upon the spools L it is preferable to channel the signatures with saw-cuts at the places where suchcords are introduced, so that the cords do not project unduly at the back of the book, but with smaller-sized cords this channeling is unnecessary, and it will be apparent that the hook pointed needles 50 require to be placed closer together for a cord than they do for a tape or strip, and the main shaft 0 and secondary shaft D should be revolved once for each signature sewed, and the cam V that gives motion to the vibrating eye, has to be revolved once every two revolutions of the shaft 0. Hence it is advantageous to employ the pinion 55 upon the shaft 13, gearing into teeth 57 upon the edge of the cam V and to use a larger pinion 2 on the shaft B, drivinga gearwheel 3 on the shaft 0, the relative sizes of these pinions and gears being such that the cam V will be revolved once for every two revolutions of the shaft 0, it being understood that the wheel 3 is fastened upon the shaft 0, while the cam V having the teeth 57 on its periphery, is loose upon said shaft C and held in position by a washer or collar. lVe, however, remark that the sewing might be performed in this machine if only one hook-pointed needle 50 were made use of in each set or group of sewing devices,in which instance the vibrator V will be moved back and forth with the presser-bar each sewing operation and lay its thread in the one hook, and in this instance the tape or strip from the reel P will be dispensed with.

Ne claim as our invention- 1. The combination, with the sheetholder bar and the hook-pointed needles and perforators, of needle-plates grooved for receiving the hook-pointed needles and perforators, the

needle-bar for giving motion to the needles and perforators, and the levers and cams for moving the respective parts, substantially'as set forth.

2. In a book-sewing machine, the combination, with the sewing mechanism, of a sheetholder bar, grooved guide-bars for the end of the sheet-holder bar, and the frames, levers, and cams for giving motion to the sheetholder bar, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a book-sewing machine, of the sheet-holderbar and two or more groups of sewing devices adjustable transversely of the machine, one part of each group of sewing devices beingupon the sheet-holder bar and adjustable thereon, and the other portion of the group being above the sheet-holder bar which holds the signature that is being sewed, and also adjustable upon a stationary transverse bar on the machine, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the frame and transverse bar A of the needle-block Q, adj ustable upon such transverse bar, there being a row of holes in the transverse bar, and a screw on the needle-block adapted to hold such needle-block in position when adjusted, and the curved needle and sheet-holder plates connected with the needle-block, the needleshaft, pinion, and rack-bar for giving motion to the needle, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the transverse bar A grooved upon its back surface and having a row of holes or cavities, of the needle-block Q. and gib 18, passing into the groove of the transverse bar,the eye-pointed curved needle, the needle-shaft passing through the needle-block, the pinion, and rack-bar for giving motion to the needles, substantially as set forth. I

6. The combination, with the sheet-holder bar, of a' movable needle-plate grooved for the reception of the perforators and the hookpointed needles, a block within an undercut or dovetailed groove in the sheet-holder bar, and screws for connecting the needle-plate and the block, there being holes in the sheetholder-bar block and needle-plate for determining the position of theneedle-plate by the insertion of a pin through "such holes, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with an eye -pointed needle and the sheet-holder bar, needle-plate, perforators, and hook-pointed needles, of the needle-bar adapted to move vertically again st the sheet-holder bar and grooved for the reception of ribs upon the perforators and hookpointed needles, frames, levers, and earns for giving motion to the sheet-holder bar, and frames, levers, and cams for giving motion to the needle-bar, such cams being adapted to move the sheet-holder bar, needle-bar, hookpointed needles, and perforators together, and then to project and retract the hook-pointed needles and perforators while the sheet-holder bar remains in its elevated position,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the eye-pointed curved needles and the complemental stitchforming mechanism and a mechanism for giving motion to the same, of a presser-bar mechanism for moving the presser-bar against the sewed signature to move the same backwardly, and sheet-steadying fingers and mechanism for moving the same downwardly to hold the sewed signature back in position as the presser-bar is drawn back for the insertion of another signature to be sewed, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the book-sewing mechanism, of a presser-bar and mechanism for moving the same across the sewed signature baekwardly,a rod sliding longitudinally within the presser-bar, and an eye connected with the said rod for supplying thread to the looping mechanism, whereby the eye and thread carried by it arecaused to assume the proper positions during the sewing operation by the joint action of the presser-bar and the vibrating rod within the presser bar, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the adjustable needle block, the curved needle, and the mechanism for giving motion to such curved needle, of the sliding block 35, the sheetsteadying finger connected with such block, the lifter-plate 40, having a longitudinal rib entering the transverse groove in the sliding block, and mechanism for giving to the lifter-.

plate the required motion to raise and lower the sliding block and steadying-finger, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with theadjustable needle-block, the block 35, sliding in the groove in the needle-block, and the sheetsteadying finger 36, of the lifter-plate 40, connected with the sliding block 35 and having inclined mortises, in which lifter-plate are the reciprocating bar 43and the blocks connected therewith and acting within the slots of the lifter-plate, andthe lever and cam for giving motion to the reciprocating bar and lifterplate, substantially as set forth. 7

12. The combination, with the semicircular eye-pointed needle and the shaft for moving the same, of the loop-tightener hook 37 and means for giving motion to the same for drawing up the thread between the eye of the curved needle and the signature that has been sewed, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination,with the semicircular eye-pointed needle and the shaft and mechanism for moving the same, of the sliding block 35, the sheet-steadying finger 36, the loop-tightener hook 37, pivoted to the sheetsteadying finger and havinga spring-tail, the stud 38, acting to retract the loop-tightener, and the sheet-holder plate 24, having an opening for the passage of the needle, the steadying-finger, and the loop-tightener, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination, with the sheet-holding bar and the groups of sewing devices and the thread-bars and take-up mechanism in a book-sewing machine, of a spool holder, a transverse bar to which the spool-holder is adjustably connected, and aframe and spring-eye connected to the spool-holder and adjustable with it for varying the position of the spools and holders, as required, for the groups of sewing devices in the book-sewing machine, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, in a book-sewing machine, of sewing mechanism adjustable transversely of the machine, a spool-holder ad j ustable transversely of the machine, and a reelframe and reel for a tape or cord also adjustable transversely of the machine, whereby the instrumentalities for perfecting the booksewing can be thrown in the proper positions 

